"Anywhere that there's public lands, we tend to find some abuse of one form or another," Wiebe told the Calgary Eyeopener. "Whether it's someone dumping the television set and shooting it up … or leaving a refrigerator or appliance or some sort."

Hefty fines

Along with household items, Wiebe said Alberta Fish and Wildlife routinely find abandoned vehicles in fields and rivers. There are also reoccurring environmental issues caused by garbage left behind by campers behaving badly.

"Problematic situations arise from people leaving food and garbage that animals can get into," Wiebe said. "Also, the absolute unsightly aspects of it."

Under the Public Lands Act, anyone caught dumping garbage on public lands can be ordered to remediate the land or face fines as high as $100,000.

Alberta Environment and Parks Minister Shannon Phillips said enforcement officers are cracking down on offenders and anyone using public lands as "their personal dump."

"Respecting our wild spaces and leaving them in pristine shape is an Albertan thing to do," Phillips said in a statement.

Cleaning up the backcountry

Wiebe said volunteer groups have stepped up to help Fish and Wildlife keep the wilderness clean, like the Alberta Off-highway Vehicle Association, which performs a regular cleanup every May.

In June, a cleanup at Hilda Lake near Cold Lake led to the removal of two abandoned recreational vehicles and enough broken appliances, furniture and garbage to fill four industrial-sized dumpsters.

Alberta Fish and Wildlife says at least four abandoned vehicles have been found on Crown lands this summer. (Alberta Environment and Parks)

Volunteers from the Turning Point Society of Central Alberta helped clean up a small island in the Red Deer River this summer, removing several propane and fuel tanks.

Even though Albertans are pitching in to help, Wiebe said cleanup duties usually fall to the province despite a lack of funding for remediation.